Bob Tuke on Government Reform

Democratic challenger

Limit lobbysists with common sense campaign finance reform

In 2006, while other Senators stood up for improving campaign finance reform, Lamar Alexander voted in support of a loophole to allow members of Congress to continue receiving gifts from lobbying companies. There are few politicians in Washington more beholden to corporations, PACs, and lobbyists than Lamar. During his career as a politician, Lamar has received $468,700 from the Big Insurance lobby and $364,675 from Big Oil corporations and other fossil fuel industries. In return, Lamar has voted to support billions of dollars in tax breaks for Big Oil.

Lamar is wrong on campaign finance reform. It's wrong to allow lobbyist gifts to flow through the halls of Congress. If elected to the Senate, Bob Tuke will stand up for common sense campaign finance reform to make sure working-class men and women always have the strongest voice in Washington.

Source: Press release, "The Truth About Lamar" Jul 11, 2008

Replace earmarks with legislation the public can inspect

Tuke doesn't like what's commonly referred to as earmarks to provide federal funding for projects at home such as new government buildings, bridges and other grant programs. His preference, he said, to gain this type of federal funding for projects at home would be by legislative act. Earmarks, he suggested, can be hidden from public view whereby a legislative act passed by congress is always open for public inspection. Source: By Sam Hatcher, in Wilson Post May 7, 2008

Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform. Click here for a profile of Bob Tuke. Click here for SenateMatch answers by Bob Tuke. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Government Reform in The Forum. Click here for a summary of Bob Tuke's positions on all issues. Click here for issue positions of other TN politicians.
*Other candidates on Government Reform:*		*Bob Tuke on other issues:*
*TN Gubernatorial:* Phil Bredesen *TN Senatorial:* Bob Corker Chris Lugo Lamar Alexander *2008 Senate retirements:* Wayne Allard(R,CO) Larry Craig(R,ID) Pete Domenici(R,NM) Chuck Hagel(R,NE) Trent Lott(R,MS) Craig Thomas(R,WY) John Warner(R,VA) *2008 Presidential Contenders:* Chuck Baldwin(C) Rep.Bob Barr(L) Sen.Hillary Clinton(D) Sen.Mike Gravel(L) Alan Keyes(C) Sen.John McCain(R) Rep.Cynthia McKinney(G) Ralph Nader(I) Sen.Barack Obama(D) Rep.Ron Paul(R)	*2008 Senate Races:* AK:Stevens v.Begich v.Cuddy v.Sikma AL:Sessions v.Figures AR:Pryor v.Kennedy CO:Schaffer v.Udall DE:Biden v.O`Donnell GA:Chambliss v.Martin v.Buckley IA:Harkin v.Reed ID:Risch v.LaRocco v.Rammell IL:Durbin v.Sauerberg v.Stafford v.Cummings KS:Roberts v.Jones v.Slattery KY:McConnell v.Lunsford LA:Landrieu v.Kennedy MA:Kerry v.O`Reilly v.Beatty v.Underwood ME:Collins v.Allen MI:Levin v.Hoogendyk v.Boman MN:Coleman v.Franken v.Barkley v.Cavlan MS4:Wicker v.Musgrove MS6:Cochran v.Fleming MT:Baucus v.Kelleher NC:Dole v.Hagan NE:Johanns v.Kleeb v.Larrick NH:Sununu v.Shaheen v.Blevens NJ:Lautenberg v.Zimmer Pearce v.Udall OK:Inhofe v.Rice OR:Smith v.Merkley v.Brownlow RI:Reed v.Young v.Tingle SC:Graham v.Conley v.McBride SD:Johnson v.Dykstra TN:Alexander v.Tuke v.Lugo v.Heyward TX:Cornyn v.Noriega v.Jameson VA:Gilmore v.Warner WV:Rockefeller v.Wolfe WY4:Barrasso v.Carter WY6:Enzi v.Rothfuss	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare Other Senators House of Representatives SenateMatch (matching quiz) Senate Votes (analysis) House Votes Bill Sponsorships Affiliations Policy Reports Group Ratings

Page last updated: Aug 23, 2008